Delhi Police to deploy undercover cops

New Delhi: To combat rising crime rates and ensure the safety of passengers travelling in the Delhi Metro, the city police has implemented a new security strategy under which they will deploy officers in plain clothes at vulnerable metro stations during peak hours.

The step was taken after the city police conducted a ‘temporal and spatial analysis’ to review its security plan as the national capital has witnessed a surge in ridership in recent months, leading to a corresponding increase in crime reports, official sources from police said. The ‘temporal and spatial’, are terms that refer to time and space. The data was collected from 190 metro stations to determine the time at which crime incidents remained high at stations.

By analysing data from these 190 stations, the police identified 32 metro stations susceptible to theft, harassment, and other offences. Among these 32 metro stations were Kashmiri Gate, Rajiv Chowk, Seelampur, Anand Vihar and Kalkaji.

“Our goal is to create a safer environment for commuters,” Joint Commissioner of Police (transport range) Vijay Singh told PTI. “By blending in with the crowd, our officers can more effectively deter criminal activity and respond to incidents promptly,” he said, adding “you can call them like our undercover officers”.

The security of the Delhi Metro is looked after by the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) and Delhi Police. While the CISF does frisking and checking, the city police register FIRs, conduct probes and also do patrolling inside the metro premises.

This is a separate unit of Delhi Police, with sixteen metro police stations located at the metro premises in different parts of the city. A DCP-level officer heads the unit. JCP Singh said the enhanced security measures will include increased visibility of female officers on platforms and trains to address concerns about women’s safety. Additionally, the police will leverage technology to monitor suspicious behaviour and identify potential threats, the JCP added. By proactively addressing these issues in the metro, the police aim to maintain the Delhi Metro’s reputation as a reliable and secure public transportation system, Singh said.

According to the plan, a police officer will be deployed at the entrance while two-three, including female police staff, will keep their eye on platforms and trains during the peak hours.

Singh further said that temporal and spatial data analysis helped the police identify the vulnerable locations and points at the metro stations. The deployment of such personnel may start from this week onwards, he added.

According to police statistics, Delhi Metro has reported 3,952 cases of thefts this year so far. Till September 8, 2023, at least 3,709 cases of thefts were reported in the metro. The official sources said that these cases of thefts include pickpockets, missing mobile phones, purses or other valuable items of the passengers and metro staff. It also includes thefts of the metro properties. According to an official statement of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the metro has recorded 13 of its highest passenger journeys in the past month, with daily commuters ranging from over 72 lakh to 78 lakh.